On January 20, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui and Madame Chen Naiqing hosted a reception at the Embassy in celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival.

In his remarks, Ambassador Zhang reviewed the tremendous and remarkable accomplishments China has made in the past year, its efforts to enhance exchanges and cooperation with other countries and regions and its contribution to world peace and common development.

On China-US relations, Ambassador Zhang pointed out that the relationship enjoyed a sound momentum last year. Last January, during his successful state visit to the United States, President Hu Jintao and President Obama reached an important agreement on working together to build a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. The two countries have maintained good communication and dialogue in wide-ranging fields with growing converging interests.

Ambassador Zhang highlighted the contribution made by the Chinese communities in the United States in supporting China's modernization drive, its peaceful reunification and China-US exchanges and cooperation in many fields.

Looking forward, Ambassador Zhang is confident that in 2012, China will make further progress in achieving stable and relatively fast economic growth, maintaining social stability, transforming the economic growth model, improving people's living standard, and the deepening of reform and opening up.

Ambassador Zhang said that the Chinese Government stands ready to work with the US Government in the new year to follow through on the important agreement reached by the two presidents, handle differences and sensitive issues properly and advance China-US relations in a sound and steady way.

Ambassador Zhang stated that the Chinese Embassy will continue to provide facilities and services to the Chinese communities living, working or studying in the United States. He also extended his new years' best wishes to all the overseas Chinese, Chinese Americans and Chinese students in the US.

The reception was moderated by Mr. Yang Zigang, Minister of the Chinese Embassy, and was attended by 700 overseas Chinese, Chinese Americans and Chinese students in the United States as well as people from various walks of life.